The Governor of Rivers State, Siminialayi Fubara, has said he owes no one an apology for enrolling his children in a private school for their elementary education, regardless of what the public may perceive about it.
Fubara, whose son, Joseph, graduated from the Grade Six Class of an elite private school in Port Harcourt, the Green Oak International School, noted that he wanted a better standard for the child than what public schools could offer while speaking at the 2023 graduation ceremony of the school.
The Rivers Governor, therefore, cared less about what the criticism would be for shunning public schools for his children’s education as a public officeholder.
He said, “For the past two weeks, every morning, Joseph wakes up, comes to my bed, and asks, Are you attending my graduation?
“I was looking for an excuse, but because of the way he was insisting, I don’t want to lose him. Let me, as a government representative representing the good people of Rivers State, commend this school.
“I know when I leave here there might be a few interpretations of attending this graduation, but the truth remains that I wanted a better standard than what we had at that time.
“This school was recommended, and I can say that when I changed my children to Green Oak, I noticed a lot of improvement.
“As the only legacy you have is quality children, even if you have all the houses in the world and all the money, it amounts to nothing when you don’t have a worthy successor.
“What I owe them is the best, and if the best is sending them to school because I believe in their skills, I don’t owe anybody an apology for that. So I thank you for what you’re doing. Don’t lower the bar.
“For the graduands, today you will be leaving primary and advancing to secondary. It is another journey you are about to start. If you apply what you have been taught here, wherever you find yourself, you will exploit everyone, including my boy Joe.
“As a government, we will continue to support everything that will bring better life and quality education to the lives of our people.”
